Knitting machine



(No Model.) Sheets-Sheet 1.

F. A. NYE.

KNITTING MACHINE.

No. 582,431. Patented May 11, 1897.

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(No Model.) 5 Sheets-Sheet 2.

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- F. A. NYE.

KNITTING MACHINE. No. 582,431. Patented May 11, 1897..

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(No Model.) 7 5 Sheets-Shee 4.

F. A. NYE. KNITTING MACHINE. No. 582,431. Patented May 11, 1897.

WITNESSES: O b mvsmron (No model. 5 Sheets-Sheet 5.

I P. A. NYE.

' KNITTING MACHINE.

Patented May 11, 1897.

UNITED TATES ATENT usion.

FRANK A. NYE, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO NYE & TREDICK,OF SAME PLACE.

KNITTING-MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 582,431, dated May 11,1897.

I Application filed August 24, 1896. Serial No. 608,669. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, FRANK A. NYE, of Phil-- adelphia, county ofPhiladelphia, and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and usefulImprovement in Knitting-Machines,

of which the following is a specification.

This invention has reference to circularknitting machines in which aseries of reciprocating cylinder-needles cooperate with a series ofreciprocating dial-needles to produce a tubular ribbed fabric; and theinvention consists primarily in combining with the usual operating-camsof one set of needles a movable tucking-cam and devices for operatingsaid cam at predetermined times and on different needles or differentgroups of needles during every revolution of the machine.

The invention also consists in combining with independently-operatingtucking-cams and two sets of operating-cams and needles for the dial orcylinder a third tucking-cam and means for operating said thirdtuckingcam at predetermined intervals and on the iution of the machine.

The invention also consists in the details of construction andcombination of parts hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a top plan view of acircular-knitting machine having myinvention embodied therein in itspreferred form. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same. Fig. 3 is avertical sectional elevation on the line a a of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is anelevation of the inner side of the cylinder, showing the tucking-camapplied in relation to the cams for operating the cylinder-needles inthe manner I prefer to adopt. Fig. 4 is an elevation showing the twosets of needles, which differ as to the location of their heels. Fig. 5is an elevation of the machine from the side opposite to that shown inFig. 2. Fig. 6 is a sectional elevation on the line b b of Fig. 1.

In the accompanyingdrawin gs I have illustrated my invention as appliedto and operating in connection with the cams and needles of thecylinder, but it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that theinvention same or different needles during every revo-- may be variouslymodified without departing from the limits of the invention.

1 represents a suitable frame giving support to an angular bed or plate2, from which rises a cylindrical fixed shell 3, bearing on its innerface cams 4 for operating the cylinder-needles, as will be more fullydescribed hereinafter. The base of the shell is grooved to receive anannular rotating ring 5, having projecting from its inner side a seriesof lugs 6. These lugs give support to a vertical needle-cylinder 7 whichis firmly secured thereto and which is provided with a series ofvertical slots 8, in which are mounted the cylinder-needles. The rotaryring 5 is provided on its under side with bevel-gear teeth 9, which areengaged by a drivinggear 10 on the inner end of a driving-shaft mountedin bearin gs in the frame. The shaft is provided with the usual fast andloose pulleys and the hand-crank, by which the machine may be driven bypower or by hand.

The cylinder-needles cooperate with a series of dial-needles 11, mountedto reciprocate in radial grooves formed in the upper side of a dial 12,which is mounted loosely to revolve on a vertical hanger 13, dependingfrom a cross-tree 14, fixed to the top of two posts 1 5, rising from theannular bed or plate 2. The dial is driven from the cylinder by theusual driving-lugs, and as the former rotates the needles are movedagainst dial-cams 16 on the under side of a dial-plate 17, fixed to thehanger above the dial.

The foregoing parts may be of the ordinary construction, and, except inso far as hereinafter indicated, they form no part of the presentinvention.

On reference to Fig. 4 it will be noted that the cylinder-cams areduplicated, one set of cams being fixed above the other. These cams areadapted to act on two sets of cylinderneedles 1S and 19, which needlesdiffer in the point at which theirheels are located,as shown in Fig. 4This arrangement of cams and needles is fully set forth and described inLetters Patent of the United States to G. E. Nye, dated May 23, 1893,No. 498,139, the purpose of this arrangement being to produce thetuck-stitch by any desired number of needles and the plain stitch by theremainder. In this patent the two sets of needles and cams were shown asapplied to the dial, movable tucking-cams being provided and combinedwith means for operating them independently to act on the needles of thetwo sets. My present invention is shown as applied to a machine havingthis arrangement of double cams and needles incorporated in thecylinder, and on reference to Figs. 4 and 4: it will be seen that thetwo sets of needles are acted on by two tucking-cams 20 and 21, thelatter being located above the former. The cams are operatedindependently at predetermined times and their action is governed by apatternchain, as usual. The lower cam is mounted on the inner end of anarm 22, extending through a vertical slot in the fixed cylindrical shell3,the outer end of the arm being fixed to a horizontal rock-shaft 23,mounted in a bearingblock 24, fixed to the annular plate 2. The oppositeend of this rock-shaft has fixed to it a vertical arm 30, to the upperend of which one end of a link 31 is pivoted, the other end of the linkbeing pivoted to the upper end of an elbow-lever 32, pivoted to theframe. The lower end of the lever is provided with a roller resting on apattern-chain passing over the usual pattern-roll.

The upper or companion tucking-cam 21 is mounted on the inner end of anarm 28, whose outer end is fixed to a rock-shaft 29, mounted above therock-shaft 23 and connected to a vertical arm 25, which is in turnconnected by a link 26 to an elbow-lever 27, pivoted to the framealongside the lever 32 and provided with a roller resting on apattern-chain passing over the pattern-roll. These pattern chains areprovided, as usual, with high and low links, by which the levers areoperated to elevate .or depress the tucking-cams, according as it isdesired that the needles acted on by them shall tuck or knit oil. Thethread is fed to the needles of both series by a threadguide 33, locatedon the dial-plate adjacent to the two tucking-cams just described. Iprefer to embody my invention in a machine of this character, though itsapplication is not limited in this connection, as will more fullyappearhereinafter, but it may be used as well in connection with asingle set of needles and cams either on a cylinder or dial.

In applying my invention to this machine I provide a third movabletucking-cam 34, which may be identical with those just described, and Icombine with this third cam devices by which it may be caused to act atpredetermined times and on certain needles of the lower series, as willbe more fully described hereinafter.

The cam is situated on the side of the camcylinder opposite the twotucking-cams 20 and 21 and is provided with a hole by which it issupported on the inner end of an arm 35, extending through a verticalslot in the cylindrical shell 3. The outer end of the arm is connectedto a horizontal shaft 36, mounted in a bearing on the annular bed orplate 2. The arm is pivotally connected about midway of its length tothe upper end of a vertical link 37, the lower end of which is jointedto a horizontal lever 38, pivoted between its ends to the inner side ofa bracket or hanger 39, depending from the under side of the annularplate 2. The opposite end of this horizontal lever is connected by avertical link 40 to a second horizontallever 41 at a point about midwaybetween its ends, this lever being pivoted at one end to the bracket, asat 42, and having its opposite end free and formed with an oifset 43, asshown in Fig. 6.

The horizontal lever 38 is acted 011 by a spring 44, which tends to holdthe various connecting parts in such positions that the cam will bemaintained yieldingly in a depressed position, in which position it willcause the needles to tuck or retain the stitches on them previouslyformed. Then elevated, the cam will cause the needles to produce plainwork or knit off. The action of this tucking-cam is controlled by avertical tucking-Wheel 45, mounted on a horizontal stud 46, projectinginward from the lower end of the depending bracket 39, the edge of saidwheel being provided with a series of bevelgear teeth meshing with aseries of similar teeth 47 on the rotary ring 5 outside of thedriving-teeth 9, before described. By the rotation of the ring, andconsequently the needle-cylinder, the vertical wheel will be revolved.

The outer Face of the wheel is provided at intervals with threaded holes48, arranged in a circular row adjacent to its outer edge and adapted toreceive threaded pins 49. These pins are in such a position that whenthe wheel is rotated they will successively con tact with the offset 43on the lever 41 and will depress said lever momentarily, therebyelevating the cam to a knitting-off position against the influence ofits depressing-spring 4A. By changing the location of these pins and thedistance between them it will be seen that certain needles and groups ofneedles may be caused to tuck during every revolution of the machine.The purpose of this third tuckingcam is to form in the fabric ornamentaldesigns, such as will be more fully described hereinafter, and made upof different-colored yarns, one color being fed by the yarn-guide 33,before alluded to, while the other color is fed by a yarn-guide 50,fixed to the dial-plate adjacent to the third tu cking-cam anddiametrically opposite the other guide.

I11 order that the design to be'produced on the fabric may be caused toappear at predetermin ed points, I provide devices controlled,preferably, by a pattern-chain for normally holding and locking thethird tucking-cam in an elevated position and at predetermined times forunlocking the cam and allowing it to be acted on by the devices operatedby the tucking-wheel. The devices for thus locking and unlocking the camconsist of a link 51,

having formed in one end a slot 52, in which extends a pin 53 on theupper end of an arm 54, fixed to the rock-shaft 36, before alluded to.The opposite end of the link is pivoted to one end of a horizontal lever55, pivoted on a vertical axis to a post 56, rising from the annular bed2. This lever beyond the pivot is extended vertically and connected by alink 57 to the upper end of an elbow-lever 58, pivoted in the frame andhaving on its lower member a roller resting on a pattern-chain. 59. Thispattern-chain is provided with high and low links, and when a high linkmoves beneath the roller it will pull the link 51 forward, the slot inthe link moving to such a position that the cam will be free, so that itcan be operated by the tucking-wheel. When one of the lower links of thechain moves beneath the roller, the link 5l'will be moved in theopposite direction, and the end of the slot therein will engage the pinand move the cam to an elevated knitting-off position and the cam willbe held and locked in that position. It is obvious, therefore, that thepoints in the fabric where the pattern is to appear may be governed bythe disposition of the links on the pattern-chain, which is constructedto normally hold the elbow-lever in such a position that the cam will belocked in an elevated position, and at predetermined times, when thepattern is to appear, to allow the lever to be moved to unlock the cam,so that it can be operated on by the tuckingwheel.

The designs and patterns may be varied in character by placing the pinsin the tuckingwheel in different positions, the spaces between ihe pinsrepresenting the number of needles of the lower series that will becaused to tuck and the alternating pin representing the needle orneedles that will be caused to knit off.

I prefer to so construct the tucking-wheel as regards its number ofgear-teeth that for every revolution of the head or dial the Wheel willrevolve two times and a fraction, or, in other words, I prefer to drivethe wheel so that its revolutions will bear an odd ratio to that of thedial, or vice versa. The result of this is that different needles orgroups of needles will be caused to tuck on successive revolutions ofthe machine and a diagonal pattern will be produced. In the presentinstance, where there are two series of cylinderneedles and atucking-cam for the lower series,the design produced will consist of aseries of diagonal blocks of one color extending spirally around thefabric and alternated by straight longitudinal stripes of another-color.If but one set of needles is used in the cylinder, the longitudinalstripes will not appear and the diagonal blocks will be joined,forming aseries of diagonal stripes extending spirally around the fabric.

caused to tuck during every revolution of the machine, which can beaccomplished by If the same needles arev so forming the tucking-wheelthat its rotation will be a factor to that of the head or machine, orvice versa, the blocks or stripes, according as one or two sets ofneedles are used, will not be diagonal, but horizontal, extending inparallel lines around the fabric.

In machines of this character it is customary to combine with theoperating-cams what is known as a slack-course cam, adapted to bedepressed below its usual level to depress the needles and lengthen thestitches. In the present machine two of these cams are shown, a lowerone 60 and an upper one 61. The lower cam is mounted on the inner end ofan elbow-lever 62, extending through a slotin-the cylindrical shell andmounted at the outside of the shell on an axis 63. The upper cam ismounted on the inner end of an arm 64, extending through a vertical slotin thevshell and pivoted at the outside of the shell on an axis 65. Thearm and elbow-lever are connected by means of a link 66, so that theymay be operated in unison. Theelbowlever 62 is pivoted to one end of alink 66, the other end of which is pivoted to the upper end of anelbow-lever 67, mounted in the main frame and bearing a roller 68,resting on a pattern-chain 69, passing over-a pattern-roll 70. As aresult of these connecting devices it will be seen that the twoslackcourse cams will be moved in unison from the same pattern-chain 69.In order that the relative positions of these two cams may be changedtomeet the various conditions encountered in practice, I so construct theconnecting-link 66 that the parts which it connects and which supportthe cams may be changed relatively. This is accomplished by forming inthe upper end of the link a slot, in which a pin 7 2 on the arm 64extends. A

set-screw 73 is passed vertically downward through the upper end of thelink into the slot and bears on thepin. By means of this screw it willbe observed that the two cams may be adjusted nearer together or fartherapart, according as conditions may require.

In cylinder knitting-machines it is often necessary to remove certain ofthe cylinderneedles on account of breakage, and there are frequentoccasions for gaining access to the needles. This is particularly thecase in machines of the character under consideration, wherein thecylinder is provided with two series of needles. In order to readilyremove or examine any of the needles and gain access to them, I proposeto provide the fixed cylindrical shell 3 at some point in itscircumference with a removable section. This section is shown at 72 moreparticularly in Figs. 1 and 5. This section is simply a portion of theshell divided vertically from the remaining portion and bearing on itsinner face a portion of the cams, being a continuation of those on thefixed portion of the shell. The base of the removable section isprovided with a foot 74, adapted to rest on the annular bed-plate 2, andboth the foot and bed-plate are provided with vertical open ings adaptedto receive a fastening-pin 76.

It will be readily observed that by the removal of this section theneedle-cylinder at this point will be exposed and any portion of thecylinder may be brought opposite the opening formed by the removing ofthe section by simply rotating the cylinder.

In machines of the character under consideration, where there are twoseries of needles in the cylinder, it frequently happens that there areoccasions for examining the upper needles only, and in order to preventthe displacement of the lower needles in cases of this nature I proposeto so form the removable section that its upper portion maybe detachedWithout removing the lower portion from the shell. This upper portion isformed as a continuation of the lower portion on its inner face and isprovided with a horizontal foot 78, having formed therein two openingswhich register with openings in the top of the lower portion of thesection, and these openings receive two vertical fastening-pins 79. Fromthis it will be noted that if it is necessary to examine the upperseries of needles only the two pins may be removed, which will allow theupper part of the section to be detached.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is 1. In aknitting-machine the combination with the dial, its needles andknitting-cams and the cylinder, its needles and knittingcams, of amovable tucking-cam coacting with one of said sets of knitting-cams, andan actuating mechanism for moving said tuckingcam, saidactuatinginechanism so form ed and constructed that during eachsuccessive revolution of the machineit will move the tucking-cam to suchpositions that different needles or groups of needles will be caused toretain their stitches.

2. The combination with the dial, its needles and cams, and thecylinder, its needles and cams, of a tucking-cam operating in connectionwith the cylinder-cams, means for operating said tucking-cam, a secondtuckingcam for the cylinder, mechanism for operating the same, anddevices for controlling the action of said mechanism on the cam.

3. The combination with the dial, its needles and cams, of the cylinder,two series of needles therefor, two sets of knitting-ca1ns for operatingsaid needles, two movable tucking-cams coacting respectively with thetwo sets of knitting-cams, means for operating the same independently, athird tucking-cam coacting with one set of knitting-cams and means foroperating it.

4. The combination with the dial and cylinder of two series of needlesand two sets of knitting-cams applied to one of said parts, a singleseries of needles and cams for the other, two tucking-cams coactingrespectively with the two sets of knitting-cams, means for operatingthem, a third tucking-cam coacting with one of the sets of knitting-camsand means for operating the same.

5. The combination with the dial, its needles and cams, of the cylinder,two series of needles therefor, two sets of knitting-cams for theneedles, two movable tucking-cams coacting respectively with the twosets of knittingcams, means for operating them, a third tucking-camcoacting with one of the sets of knitting-cams, a mechanism foroperating it, and devices for controlling the action of the mechanismthereon.

6. The combination with the dial, its needles and cams, of the cylinder,an upper and lower series of needles therefor, an upper and a lower setof knitting-cams for actuating said needles, two tucking-cams coactingrespectively with the upper and lower cylinder knitting-cams, means foroperating them, a third tucking-cam applied to the lower set of cylinderknitting'cams and means for operating it.

7. In a knitting-machine the combination with the needles and theirknitting-cams, of a movable cam, a rotary wheel for operating said cam,a pattern-chain and devices acted on by said chain for controlling theaction of the rotary wheel on the cam.

8. In a knitting-machine and in combination with the needles and theirknitting-cams, a movable cam, a rotary wheel provided with projections,devices connected to said movable cam and adapted to be operated by theprojections, a pattern-chain and suitable connections from said chain tothe (18"lCGS by which the cam is operated.

9. In a knitting-machine the combination with the needles and theirknitting-cams, of a movable cam, an arm supporting said movable cam, arotary wheel for operating the cam provided with projections, devicesconnected to the arm and arranged to be operated by the projections onthe wheel, a patternchain, a lever arranged to be operated by saidchain, and connectionsbetween said leverand the devices operated bytherotary wheel.

10. In a circular-knitting machine the combination with the needles andtheir knittingcams, of a movable cam, a rotary Wheel provided withprojections, devices connected to said movable cam and arranged to beactuated by the projections on the wheel and means for rotating saidwheel so that its revolutions will hear an odd ratio to those of themachine.

11. In a knitting-machine the combination with the cylinder, of twoseries of needles therefor, two sets of knitting-cams for operating saidneedles, two movable cams operating respectively in connection with thetwo sets of knitting-cams, connections between the same for causing themto move in unison and means for moving the cams.

12. In a knitting-machine the combination with a cylinder of two seriesof needles therefor, an upper and a lower set of knitting-cams for saidneedles, two movable cams operating respectively in connection with theknittingcams, adjustable connections between the two movable cams andmeans for operating them.

13. In a knitting-machine the combination with the cylinder, of twoseries of needles therefor, two sets of knitting-cams for operatingsame, two movable cams arranged one with two sets of needles andknitting-cams,

of two vertically-movable slack-course cams arranged one above the otherand coacting respectively with the two sets of knittingcams,a pivotedarm supporting the upper cam,

an elbow-lever supporting the lower cam, a

link connecting the arm and lever and means for operating the lever.

15. In a knitting-machine the combination with the fixed annularbed-plate 2, of the vertical cylinder arising therefrom and provided onits interior with knitting-cams, a removable section divided Verticallyfrom said cylinder and provided with a horizontal foot adapted to restupon the bed-plate, vertical registering holes in said foot andbed-plate and a fastening-pin extending in said holes and serving toremovably secure the foot to the bed-plate; whereby a vertical sectionof the cylinder may be removed at will.

16. The combination with the needle-cylinder and its needles, of the camshell or cylin der surrounding the same and provided with a removablevertical section divided horizontally into two parts, means for securingsaidparts detachably together and means for securing the lower partdetachably to the machine.

In testimony whereof I hereunto set my hand, this 21st day of July,1896, in the presence of two attesting witnesses.

FRANK A. NYE.

WVitnesses:

O. M. DUFFIN, J 0s. B. GoDsHALL.

